‘Thomas The Train’ Makers To Pay $1.25 Million Settlement

WASHINGTON -The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the manufacturers of Thomas the Train toy will pay $1.25 million civil penalty for allegedly violating the federal lead paint ban.

RC2 Corporation of Oak Brook, Illinois, agreed to the settlement.

The claim states the company imported and sold various Thomas & Friends™ Wooden Railway toys with paints or other surface coatings that contained lead levels above legal limits.

In 1978, a federal ban was put in place which prohibited toys and other children’s articles from having more than 0.06 percent leadin paints or surface coatings. As a result of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the regulatory limit was reduced to 0.009 percent on August 14, 2009.

CPSC staff alleged that RC2 failed to take adequate action to ensure that the toys would comply with the lead paint ban. This failure created a risk of lead poisoning and adverse health effects to children.